cline



R. F. CLINE.

TRACTOR.

` APPLICATION FILED APR. 8| |919. I

1,326,847. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

` 2 SIIIETShSHEEI I.

33 'Fig Z II'. P. CLINE.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION` FILED APR. 8^, 1919.

1,326,847'. Patent-ed DeoISO, 1919.

2 SHEETSv-SHEET 2.

F151 .am

Zh-ven for ROBERT F. CLINEfOF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNA.

saneren.

assassin Specicaton of Letters 'Eatent Patented Dec. 3d, i212.,

Application iiled April 8, 1.9m. 4Serial lilo. 288,542?.

To all inkom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT l?. CLINE, a citizen of the United States', residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful lniprovements in'l`ractors, of which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention relates to a tractor and pertains especially to a tractor adapted for use in connection with farm implements.

The invention relates more specifically to a unitary structure, which, can be me 'chanically combined with a second unitary structure, such as a farm implement, to form a combination structure adapted to perform certain functions. p

rlChe principal objects of this invention are first,to provide a tractor which can make short turns, an implement to which it is connected forming the pivot point; and second, to provide a tractor which has an adjustable wheel gage so that it may be accommodated to agricultural work having furrows and rows of different distances apart. ln addition to the principal. objects of my invention, there are certain features of design, whereby a. simple, durable, compact and easily handled tractor isobtained.

rlFhese objects will be more fully understood,v as will also other objects and corresponding` accomplishments of my invention from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. For the purpose of this description, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractor embodying the invention; Fig, 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1; llig 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.; Fig. 3a is a face view of a steering dialgllig. f is a section taken on the line Alf-4 of Fig. 3; and Figa 5 `is a diagrammatic View showing the position of the wheels in turning.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the tractor A having driving and steering wheels 6 and 6 is supported at its rear upon a structure B having wheels 7 .and 7. The structure B may be removed and other structures substituted therefor., such as any of the well known'agricultural implements.' i

The tractor has a frame 8. At the forward end of the frame and extending laterally thereof are ways 9 and 9. rlhe ways are here shown as plates and are the portions of the frame supporting the driving wheels. structures, one on each side are similar in construction, it will be suiicient to describe one. Plate 9 has two parallel slots l0 and ll extending transverse to the frame and slid-ably mounted upon the upper face. of plate 9 is a plate 12, and slidably mounted below plate 9 is a plate 1t. Plates l2 and lei are secured together by pins and 16, which extend through the slots 10 and 11. lPlate 9 is also provided with a slot 17 for the passage therethrough of a shaft.

Rotatably mounted upon plate 14C is a turn table 18 having'teeth 19 on the lperiphery thereof. A. forli 20 supports a shaft 2l-upon which drive wheel 6 is mounted. A shaft 22 is rotatably mounted on Vthe fork and has a bevel gear 28 meshing with a set of teeth 24C on wheel 6.

@n the upper end of shaft 22 is a pinion 25 meshing -witha gear 2G secured to a. shaft 27. Shaft 27 is at the center of turn table 18 and serves as a pivot pin upon which the latter and wheel 6 turns. Upon the upper end of shaft 2 is a bevel gear 28.

As the plates and driving wheelV Mounted u on plate l2 is a pedestal29 in which is Journaled a dividedl shaft 30. Splined upon shaft 30 is a bevel gear 31 meshing with bevel gear 28. A. diderential 32 is connected to shaft 30 and is driven by abevel gear 3a mounted on a shaft Formed on the edge of plate 12 is a bracket 37, in which is slida'bly journaled a shaft 38. Splined upon shaft 38 is a worm gear 39. Fired to shaft 38 is a wide pinion a0. @ne end of shaft 38 is fixed to the trame 8 against longitudinal movement by being journaled in a bearing al. rl`hus, upon rotating shaft 38 motion is conveyed to worm 3.9 turn table 18 and to the wheel 6 to turn the lzftter and thereby steer the tractor. A gear is mounted upon a. shaft 39 which conveys motion to the turn table connected to wheel 6. Journaled in the frame 8 is a shaft ft2. Fixed to one end of the shaft and adapted to mesh with pinion l() is a pinion 43 and secured to the other end of shaft a2 and meshing with pinion all is a pinion e8. Shaft a2 is not only your naled in the frame but can be moved lon i gitudinally, so that either inion :may be thrown out of gear with pinion it() or pinion t3 with pinion 4G. ln the position shown in Fig. i pinions 43 and are in mesh with their corresponding piniens shaft 42 and both wheels would be Imoved at the same time. In order to move only one of the wheels, shaft 42 is moved to throw either the pinion 43 or 43 out of mesh with its corresponding pinion 40 or 40 depending upon which wheel is not to be moved. In order to accomplish this movement -a collar 44 is placed upon shaft 42 and a bell crank 45 having a fork at one end secured to the collar 44 is mounted upon the frame. Secured to the bell crank 45 is a link 46 extending to the rear of the tractor and provided with convenient means for its operation. A handle is shown upon the end of link 46 for operating the same. This handle is shown merely for illustrative purposes as any other suitable means of sliding shaft 42 may be used.

Mounted upon the forward part of the frame is an engine 47 provided with a shaft 48 extending toward lthe rear of the frame. Mounted upon the shaft 48 is a sprocket *wheel 49. A chain 50 gears sprocket wheel y 49 to a sprocket wheel. 51 Xed to shaft 52.

A clutch 53 connects shaft 35 and maybe operated by suitable linkage 54. Between the engine and shaft 48 is transmission gearing of any suitable lcharacter indicated generally by 55.

Mounted upon shaft52 is a double bevel friction gear 56. Gear 56 is splined to shaft 52. Journaled on the frame 8 is a bevel friction gear 5T arranged to be engaged by either half of the bevel ygear 56. Secured to the shaft, upon which is mountedthe gear 57, is a sprocket wheel geared by a chain 58 to a sprocket wheel on shaft 42. This provides for steering of the tractorby means of power. A shifting lever 59 is connected to the gear 56 so that the gear may be moved uponshaft 52 and rotate gear 57 in either direction. A link 60 is connected to lever 59 and extends to a point at the rear of the machine convenient for manipulation by the driver.

Referring to Fi 5 a diagrammatic view illustrates the met od employed to turn the tractor. reached and it is desired to turn about, link 60 is operated to turn both wheels as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 5. The power is then thrown off shaft 52 by moving gear 56 to neutral position. Link 46 is now operated to cause pinion 43 to-be thrown out of mesh with pinion 40, so that upon power -being applied to the steering mechanism wheel 6 will not be moved. Power is now applied to the steering mechanism and wheel 6 1s turned until it comes into the position shown in dotted lines, in which posltion its plane of rotation is tangent to a circle whose.

center is at the rear post 61 of the tractor. Likewise the plane of wheel 6v is tangent to the same circle. If power is now transmitted to the driving wheels, the tractor will When the end of a furrow has been Leader? wheels, indicators 62 and 63 may be geared tothe turn tables., These indicators may be of any convenient type having hands moving over dials to indicate positions of the wheels.

" ln order to change the gage of the wheels,

plates 12 and 12 are moved inwardly or outwardly from the plates 9 and 9 respectively. During said movement bevel gears 31 and 31 slide upon the divided shaft 30. A convenient means for making such adjustment consists in a pedestal 64 mounted on plate 12, to which a screw 65 is rotatably secured but prevented from moving longitudinally. A pedestal 66 is provided with a screw thread, with which meshes the threads on lscrew 65. A handle 67 is secured 'to the end of screw 65, so that by rotating the handle wheel 6 may be moved to or from the center ofthe tractor. Wheel 6 is provided with similar mechanism indicatedby corresponding reference numerals 64', 65', 66and 67.

At the rear of the tractor frame is the post 61, to which is secured the vertically adjustable bracket 68 providing for changing the effective length of the post. The horizontal leg of bracket 68 is provided with a hole through which may be passed a coupler pin 69. p

The .structure B shown herein is merely a truck havingia bed 70 to the front of which' is connected a doubletree and a tongue. The pin 69 slips through the hole for the coupler pin of the double-tree. The pole 7 0 hangs in a cradle 71 secured to the frame 9, so that the weight of the rear of the tractor rests on the running gear of the truck. It is 'obvious that any agricultural implement may be substituted for the truck.

The tractor may be equipped with variousl accessories to make this operation convenient. Furthermore, I do not limit myself to the precise mechanical details of the various elements. These may be changed as found expedient.

What I claim is:

1. A tractor having a frame provided with ways extending laterally from the sides thereof, supporting plates slidably mounted on said ways for changing the gage of the tractor wheels, wheel frames,I one pivotally mounted on each of said plates, driving shafts for saidfwheels in axial alinement with the pivotal axes of said wheel frames, said driving shafts being geared to said wheels and havin driven gears adjacent to said plates, driving gears splined on a drive shaft and in mesh with said driven gears, steering Ways extending laterally from the ysides thereof, supporting plates slidably mounted y on said Ways for changing the gage of the Wheels, Wheel frames, one pivotally mounted on each of said plates, driving shafts for said Wheels in axial alinement with the pivotal axes of said wheel frames, said driving shafts being geared to said Wheels and hav'- ing driven gears adjacent to said plates,A

driving gears splined on a drive shaft and in mesh with said driven gears, steering gear secured tol said Wheel frames operable to ,turn both Wheels simultaneously or either wheel.

3. A tractor having a frame provided with Ways extending laterally from the sides thereof, supporting plates slidably mounted on said Ways for changing the gage of the Wheels, Wheel frames, one p ivotally mounted on each of said plates, driving shafts for said Wheels in axial alinement with the pivotal axes of said Wheel frames, said driving vshaftsv being geared to said Wheels and having driven gears adjacent to said plates,

.4. A tractor having a frame, Wheels pivotally secured thereto, steering gears for 'turning said Wheels, one connected to each Wheel, and a-slidable shaft having pinions thereon,\one each in 'mesh with a gear, said pinions and gears being so arranged that the pinions may mesh with either or both gears. 5. A tractor having a frame, Wheels pivotally secured thereto, steering gears for turning said Wheels, one connected to each Wheel, and slidable pinions connected with said gears, sothat either or both of said Wheels may be turned.

6. A tractor having a frame, Wheels pivotally secured thereto, and steering gears engageable with both Wheels to turn the same simultaneously or engageable With either Wheel. l

7. A tractor comprising a frame, driving Wheels adjustably mounted thereon so that the gage between Wheels may be changed, and propelling means on said frame continuously geared to said Wheels to permit change of the gage.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of April, 1919.l

ROBERT F. CLINE. 

